Fire ants, accidentally introduced into the United States in the 1930s through the port of Mobile, Ala., are aggressive ants that inflict severe stings producing pain, inflammation and pustules that can lead to infection. Kenny Redd, executive vice president of Redd Pest Solutions, grew up in a family-owned pest control business and understands the importance of treating fire ant problems quickly and effectively the first time.

Kenny Redd

Redd Pest Solutions, a family-owned business since 1946, has treated a wide range of sites for fire ant infestations such as athletic fields, horse pastures, retirement communities, schools, healthcare facilities, hospitals, military bases and chemical refineries. The USDA estimates that fire ants cause nearly $6 billion of damage annually in the United States, and Redd understands the costly toll that the pests can take on customers both financially and mentally, which is why he has relied on Extinguish Plus for fire ant control for more than a decade.

“I absolutely love this product,” said Redd. “We had the opportunity to try another product, but Extinguish® Plus offers longer control, while still working quickly. Long-lasting, effective control was definitely most important to us.”

Redd’s interest in Extinguish Plus was first piqued when he learned that it is a combination of an insect growth regulator (IGR) and an adulticide. The IGR sterilizes the queen ant and disrupts the insect’s natural growth pattern, while the adulticide kills foraging workers.

“After learning about the IGR, (S)-methoprene, in Extinguish Plus, we were eager to try the product,” Redd said. “It has been more than 10 years and I still find it remarkable how quickly Extinguish Plus takes effect and is able to keep the [fire ant] mounds extremely limited.”

The family-owned business receives calls for fire ant infestations in residential and commercial accounts. This has led the company to place an increased importance on maintaining a versatile, adaptable and effective fire ant treatment program. Extinguish Plus has given Redd Pest Solutions the flexibility to treat areas as large as a 35-acre horse farm or as small as a front yard of a neighborhood residence.

“This product allows us to tailor our treatment to the site and customer’s needs,” said Redd. “We are able to provide effective control to specific areas while receiving the combined benefits associated with using an adulticide and an IGR.”

Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait combines the killing speed of an adulticide (Hydramethylnon) to control problem worker ants, with the long-lasting control of an insect growth regulator (IGR) (S)-methoprene to sterilize the queen in order to prevent rebound. Extinguish Plus Fire Ant Bait is available in 1 pound, 4.5 pound and 25 pound sizes and is approved for indoor and outdoor use.